LoveBound
by ScarletDeva
Summary: How to solve your best friends' love problems with a little... or a lot of alcohol. *Complete*
1. Chapter 1 Realizations of the Romantic ...

Love-Bound  
  
Chapter 1: Realizations  
  
Author's Note: Usually I hate song fics cuz they make me feel lazy but this stupid song  
gripped me and Morgana thought it made perfect sense in respect to a particular couple.  
Muses!   
Oh also, Wild-Melody insinuated I am not at my best with romances, so hah! ;-) I hope   
you like it Isabel, cuz it's for you and about your fave couple.  
  
Disclaimer: Oopsie, almost forgot. Well no I don't own them. But I wish I did. I'd be  
way nicer than Saban and let them all have lots of wild bunny sex.  
  
~*~**~*~  
  
The club was filled with hazy smoke that made all the patrons feel a little bit surreal.  
The lights wafted gently over the room and the drinks, delivered very quickly, added to  
the sense of mystique in the atmosphere.  
  
She was more than a little drunk, after betting her best friend that she can out-drink  
her. Trini, however, had developed an impressive resistance to alcohol while in   
Switzerland. So Kim, of course lost.  
  
The entire gang got into deciding Kim's punishment. Zack suggested making her go up and  
kiss the emcee. Tanya nudged Trini and whispered something about a pool and a lack of   
clothing. Trini shook her head, a devious half-smile gracing her delicate face.   
Finally, Jason leaned over and suggested something no one could hear.  
  
Trini's half-smile broke into a full-out evil grin. She grabbed Kim's arm and dragged   
her to the ladies room, accidentally bumping into the sleepy Tommy. He shifted in his  
seat and peered around carefully.  
  
A few moments later, the emcee pulled the microphone to him and made an announcement,   
"Well as you all know, it's karaoke night here at the Silver Moon Club. Our next   
performer is a hometown girl with a few big world ambitions. Please welcome Kim."  
  
Kimberly strutted forward and Tommy's eyes snapped very wide open.  
  
When she came to the club, she was wearing a black knit knee-length skirt, a pair of   
black knee-high boots with four-inch heels, and a silver button down shirt with all the  
buttons closed. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, and curled. She looked   
very pretty and rather innocent.  
  
The trip to the bathroom changed all that. Her hair was let loose and arranged   
carelessly into sexy ringlets, giving her a wet tousled look. Her skirt now exposed her  
legs well up her thighs. Her button down shirt was unbuttoned, exposing a tiny midnight  
blue and silver striped tube top, and was tied right under her breasts. She looked   
sultry and no man in the room could stop staring.  
  
Trini giggled as she caught the mesmerized looks all their male friends were giving Kim.  
  
Kim grabbed the microphone and licked her bottom lip slowly. She nodded at the band and  
the intro of the song flowed smoothly.  
  
It was a new song so almost no one recognized it. Jason, though, displayed a smug   
smile on his face.  
  
Kim cleared her throat quietly, inhaled and began singing.  
  
~You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love  
You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love~  
  
She glanced quickly at one particular male and caught his gaze, holding him captive with  
her voice.  
  
~Here's how it goes  
You and me, up and down, but maybe this time  
We'll get it right; worth the fight; cause love is something you can't  
shake  
When it breaks  
all it takes is some trying~  
  
Tommy couldn't look away, Kim's voice washing over him like a wave, warm, overwhelming,  
calling up all the memories they made. The beautiful ones, the ones of kisses and   
sunlight and secret glances in class and making love in the backyard with the moon   
shining over their naked sweaty bodies.  
  
~If you feel like leavin'  
I'm not gonna make you stay  
But soon you'll be findin'  
You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love  
You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love~  
  
Kim ran her free hand over her side and down her hip, then ran it back up her stomach  
and gently traced it between her breasts. She became lost in the music as well,   
remembering every touch, every word, every moment.  
  
Jason and Trini exchanged knowing glances, secure in the knowledge that they were well   
on the way to making their two idiot friends as happy as they were. Trini blew him a   
kiss and turned back to watching the emotions play over Kim's face.  
  
~So if you go, you should know  
it's hard to just forget the past, so fast  
It was good, it was bad, but it was real  
and that's all you have,   
in the end, all that matters~  
  
Kim tried to read Tommy's eyes, to get past the walls and misconceptions they built up   
over the past three years. They were soft, a sweet brown, and they drew her in,   
magnetizing, without revealing anything.  
  
Tommy wanted to burst, all the old and new feelings filling him up to the brim, Kim's   
eyes giving away nothing.   
  
~If you feel like leavin'  
I'm not gonna make you stay  
But soon you'll be findin'  
You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love  
You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love~  
  
Tommy was dead to the world, his mind barely perceiving the surprised gasps to his left,  
and the all the comments about how good Kim's voice sounded to his right. All that   
existed was Kim. It was as if invisible tendrils of their emotional connection, that   
had been dormant for so long, reconnected and grew a billion times.  
  
Kim could feel his eyes on her, her skin burning up, tiny whispers of their fire licking  
at her body.  
  
~You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love  
You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love~  
  
She decided to up the ante. Her eyes opened wide, shimmering orbs of doe brown, and she  
let all her emotions flow through them, and through her voice.  
  
Trini instantly recognized that her friend just put her heart on the line and   
immediately turned her eyes on Tommy, hoping that, for once, the man would not be a   
stubborn fool.  
  
~Here's how it goes, all it takes, is some trying  
If you feel like leaving, I'm not gonna make you stay  
But soon you'll be findin'  
You can run you can hide, but you can't escape my love~  
  
Jason caught the shift in his girlfriend's attention and followed her lead, his fists   
clenching, praying that he wouldn't have to deck the guy he's considered his brother for  
ages.  
  
Tommy could suddenly feel all of Kim's emotions focus on him. Her voice was low and   
husky and her eyes had a familiar look in them, the look he used to see when she said   
'I love you,' the look that shone at him when they made love. He could never resist her  
when she left herself vulnerable like that. The question was could he leave himself   
just as open…  
  
~If you feel like leavin', I'm not gonna make you stay  
But soon you'll be findin'  
You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love~  
  
Kim sensed the lack of response in the man she still loved and her entire body froze up.  
  
Trini tensed the fingers of her right hand and slowly made her way to Tommy.  
  
Jason held up his hand, watching his friend's eyes intently and motioned for her to give  
it a moment.  
  
Trini nodded.  
  
~You can run You can run You can run You can run You can run You can run You can run   
You can run You can run You can run~  
  
Kim felt breathless and lost. Fear took the place of the fire and ran through her   
veins, hitting her like a speeding Mack truck. Her head spun and she slowly swept her   
gaze over her friends.  
  
Rocky had caught onto the situation almost from the beginning and now saw the feelings   
that were assailing Kim clearly. He smiled and nodded his encouragement, his very   
posture showing her that she was doing great and that she was braver than she gave   
herself credit for.  
  
Kim sighed and inhaled deeply. She drew on Rocky's support and opened up her entire   
being, revealing even those feelings she tried to keep hidden away, even the bad ones.  
All her pain and loneliness and feelings of rejection interlaced themselves in her   
voice.  
  
Tommy felt them slice into him.  
  
~You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love  
You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love~  
  
He suddenly heard what it was she was singing, and that, combined with all her sadness,  
caught him up so hard and heavy that all he could do was chant Kim's name in his mind.  
The shutters on his eyes dropped open and he channeled his feelings back at her.  
  
Kim moved her gaze to Adam's calm face and kept it there, afraid of that final rebuff.  
Yet when she felt the waves of Tommy's emotions hit her, her head swerved and unerringly  
centered on him.  
  
Her song over, she ran down the steps, unheeding of the applause, surprisingly limber  
with her high heels. She quickly avoided the obstacles in her way, customers, waiters,  
tables.  
  
Tommy stood up as if in a trance. As she neared him, his arms automatically held   
themselves open for her. Kim leaped up and he caught her, holding her harshly, barely  
avoiding squeezing painfully.  
  
They stayed like that, Kim's legs wrapped tightly around his waist, Tommy's face buried  
in her hair.  
  
Aisha, impatient with all the preliminaries, gently tapped them both.  
  
They shuddered and Kim leaned back a bit to look at Tommy's face. That was enough.   
  
"I love you." 


	2. Author's Note Please Read!

Hi everyone,  
  
I am updating this story despite the total badness of it and despite my esteemed beta's  
objections - mostly so I can get it away from me and get to better things... like  
updating PSOF. Nonetheless, I hope you do get some enjoyment out of it.  
  
If you want the nice reasonable ending - go to chapter 3.  
  
If you want the anti-Kat ending - chapter 4 is your best bet.  
  
Love,  
  
SD. 


	3. Chapter 2A Revelations of the Unusual K...

Love-Bound  
  
Chapter 2: Revelations  
  
Author's Note: Morgana wanted more and since I like myself intact, I provided. This is   
the reasonable, nice to Kat chapter.  
  
~*~**~*~  
  
"Hey!" a usually gentle voice called out indignantly. All the former Rangers, except   
for the still entranced couple, turned to look guiltily at Tommy's actual girlfriend.  
Kat gaped at the sight before her, fury working its way up. Trini flushed and grabbed  
Jason's hand, suddenly realizing two very important things… she just precipitated   
events that led to Tommy cheating on his girlfriend and, more importantly, she couldn't  
seem to scare up an ounce of remorse. One look at Jason confirmed that he shared both   
those sentiments. Her arm snaked around his waist and she hid her burning face in his   
shoulder. Jason flexed his fingers, realizing that with both of the so-called guilty   
parties barely aware of the outside world, it fell on him to explain the situation – but  
goddamn it, he didn't want to. He glanced back at Zack and Billy, leaning on the wall  
and wearing identical expressions of denial. He turned his face to kiss the top of   
Trini's head and nudged Tanya who grinned and nudged Rocky, who shook his head and   
nudged Adam, who blinked and tugged on Aisha's hand. She sighed, realizing that all her  
friends were yellow bellied cowards, and crouched next to Kat's chair.  
  
"Kat, you know this was inevitable," her words flowed gently over the stiff and enraged  
girl.   
  
"Bullshit," Kat lunged to her feet, Aisha quickly mirroring her move. "He could have   
stayed faithful." Something dark entered her voice and she slammed a hand into the   
former Yellow Ranger's shoulder, shoving her out of the way almost brutally. Aisha   
stumbled back and reached for the slim blonde but was too late to prevent her fist from  
slamming into the side of Kim's head. The tiny brunette's eyes widened as her head   
snapped back and she lurched in Tommy's arms. Tommy spun around, with his back to Kat,  
disallowing her any more access to her rival. The others froze with shock, never   
expecting the sweet wonderful Kat they thought they knew to react like this.  
  
"Are you nuts, girl?" Tanya stood up and faced the young woman she thought was her best  
friend. She stalked over and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her roughly. Kat   
moved quickly, one moment, held down by her friend's able hands, the next, staring down  
at Tanya, who was rubbing her stricken wrists. She turned to face her straying   
boyfriend and found a small but very capable fist flying into her cheekbone. Crack.   
She staggered back with her hands pressed to her face. Tommy grabbed Kim from behind,   
hugging her to him, in an effort to prevent further violence. She struggled against   
him but the size difference prevented any actual rewards to her efforts. It turned out  
a bad idea in the end as Kat's heel slammed smoothly into Kim's stomach. Tommy could   
only watch in horror as the love of his life bent over in pain. Jason locked gazes with  
Zack and gently removed Trini off his shoulder. He spun Kat around into a very   
effective body lock, being very careful to keep any vital areas away from any parts of   
her that could cause damage and hauled her outside, ignoring her verbal attacks on his   
character and the very unusual snarling noises being emitted from her mouth. Zack   
followed close behind.  
  
Trini rushed up to Kim, with Aisha right behind her. Adam helped Tanya off the floor   
and Rocky hailed down a waiter for some ice. Tommy lifted Kim up into his arms, careful  
not to jolt any aching point on her body and sat down onto a chair, allowing the first   
two Yellow Rangers to tend to her. The promptly arrived ice was put to good use, as   
Kim's delicate face was already swollen and a bright shade of eggplant purple. Billy   
grabbed a bunch of napkins and wrapped some ice to hand to Trini. She carefully lifted  
the tank top from Kim's stomach, finding another growing bruise there. She clucked her  
tongue to the roof of her mouth and gently laid the ice there despite Kim's fervent   
pleas to the contrary.  
  
"Damn that's co-old," the tiny young woman shivered. She shook her head, her free   
flowing hair flinging into Tommy's face. "I want to talk to Kat."  
  
"Do you really think that'd be a good idea right about now?" Rocky inquired, gesturing  
to the glaring evidence of Kat's ire.  
  
Kim carefully pushed all her nurses away and scrambled to her feet. "We are wrong, you  
know…" her voice was hoarse, "and that means we owe her an explanation and an apology."  
She waved away whatever it was Adam meant to say and grabbed Tommy's hand firmly.   
"Let's go." He followed her, trepidation evident in every smooth ripple of his toned  
body. She stalked out to the street and found Kat screeching in Jason's arms. Zack was  
dropped into a fighting position, ultimately convinced that the girl had lost her mind  
and was armed and dangerous.  
  
"Kat…" Kim's hesitant greeting shocked the blonde into stillness. Her darkened blue   
eyes bored into her rival, hatred mixed in with fury. Kim took an involuntary step back  
right into Tommy's steady embrace. The one-time White Ranger could not help but be  
afraid by this side of his girlfriend that he has never seen before. His arms tightened  
around Kim, as if to prevent any harm from coming to her.   
  
"Kim," the name was a growl in a voice not entirely her own. Kat inhaled and suddenly   
glowed golden. Zack dropped back in alarm as the glow exploded, throwing Jason back   
into Tanya's parked car. He vacillated between checking on his friend and watching the   
blonde, who he wasn't entirely certain was Kat. One look at Tommy's set face, he   
sprinted to Jason's side.  
  
Kat took one menacing step forward when Kim held up a hand.  
  
"I really am sorry," she whispered painfully, "I never meant to hurt you, but you have   
to know the truth." She looked at her erstwhile boyfriend, his loving gaze enough to   
get her through the confession. "Tommy and I never fell out of love because we can't.   
We are meant to be." Tommy nodded his head resolutely looking at the woman he betrayed.  
  
Kat's face twisted in fury, "Damn you, you pesky Rangers." With these astonishing words  
her visage began to morph, delicate Caucasian features going to exotic Asian ones and   
back over and over again. The gold glimmer spun about her and suddenly a dark fog began  
to rush from her body. Jason, supported by Zack's arm, leaned up and stared open-  
mouthed at the display. Tommy maneuvered Kim half-way behind him, willing to take the   
brunt of whatever it was that was happening. The dark fog floated, concentrated, to   
Kat's left as she crumpled to the ground. The dark form began to gather solidity and   
the gold aura knit itself about it like armor. It was armor, Scorpina's armor. Zack   
blinked, rubbing his eyes with one hand.  
  
"Hello Rangers," she smirked, "Did you like my little spell?"  
  
"Spe-ell…" Tommy choked out.  
  
"Aha," she nodded smugly, "I found a lovely little spell around the time when the little  
gymnast twit dumped you. It allowed me to merge with blondie over here, with my mind and  
her body taking ascendancy. I've been slowly corrupting you to the Dark side but she…"  
She paused to point at Kim with venom in her eyes. "She just had to mess it all up."  
  
"I love her," Tommy interjected calmly and suddenly a tiny spurt of dark fog exploded   
from his chest, throwing him back against Kim. She stumbled and fell against the wall   
of the club, Tommy's body slamming into her painfully. The dark fog-let whizzed into   
Scorpina and disappeared. She shook her head with disappointment and waved a hand   
around herself.  
  
"I'll be seeing you Rangers." She dissipated into the air, leaving the sound of   
menacing laughter to chill the small group. Zack pulled Jason up carefully and they   
rushed to the eerily still blonde. Kim pushed at Tommy, groaning as his massive weight  
lifted off her tiny body. Tommy straightened and offered his love a hand. She grabbed  
on and stood up. They watched with a deepening sense of worry as the guys lifted Kat   
gingerly. Zack, as the only uninjured one, cradled her gently in his arms and led the   
way back into the club.  
  
Tanya was the first to notice them. "Kat! What happened? Kim… You didn't?"  
  
Kim winced. "No, wasn't me."  
  
Aisha bit her lip and picked up the last bits of un-melted ice to press against Kat's   
face. A tiny groan escaped her lips and Zack smiled with relief. The blonde opened her  
eyes hazily and looked around. Suddenly she moved as if she was jolted by a low-set   
Tazer. "Oh my god," she cried out, "I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry."  
  
Kim moved to lay a warm hand on her shoulder. "It wasn't your fault." She turned to   
face the others. "Scorpina took over Kat's body a few years ago… right after my  
letter."  
  
Murmurs of 'poor Kat' and 'oh my god,' sounded throughout the group.  
  
"You don't… blame me?" she whispered incredulously. At their emphatic denials she   
smiled. "I never meant any of this… I never even wanted to date Tommy." She frowned at  
him apologetically. "Not really anyway."  
  
"It's ok," he replied, blushing. Kim grinned and slid her arms around his waist.  
  
"Hah, so our fearless leader isn't irresistible!" Adam exclaimed.  
  
"Nope." Billy winked at Kim, "It's just shorty who's a sucker for the guilt-ridden   
broody ones." She stuck her tongue out at him and laughter exploded all around them.  
  
"So when's the wedding?" Jason's amused voice cut through the ruckus as he made his way  
back to his girlfriend.   
  
Kim looked up at Tommy whose own gaze was speculative. A huge smile spread over her   
face and she looked back at their friends. "Pack your bags, Las Vegas here we come."   
Trini sighed.   
  
"This is why I brought a cocktail dress with me." Her resignation with the situation   
set of more giggles.   
  
"Shopping," Aisha cried out. Tanya nodded and Kat mentally counted how much she could   
afford to spend.  
  
"Wait, wait," Kim interrupted, "We have uneven numbers of guys and girls. Trini is with  
Jason and Tanya is with Adam so you're no problem, but…"  
  
"I would love to be Kat's date," Zack stated. The blonde looked up in shock and smiled  
shyly.  
  
"Actually…" Aisha's voice was unusually timid, "Rocky and I have been dating for several  
months." The said guy clasped her hand and looked down guiltily. Kim narrowed her eyes  
and started to snicker.  
  
"Tri, you owe me twenty." She held out a hand for the money and the original Yellow   
Ranger handed it over, grumbling about nosey psychic little twerps.  
  
"That still leaves Billy alone," Zack mused.  
  
"Actually…" That word had everyone picking up their glasses of water, ready to punish   
him for holding out on them. He edged backwards and held up his hands in defense.   
"Calm down, guys…" The glasses got placed down and he sighed in relief. "Well, I've   
been dating Emily for a week." Water splattered all over his light blue shirt. Giggles  
ensued.  
  
~*~  
  
Jason smiled as his friends prepare to make their vows. Tanya gripped Adam's hand, her   
lower lip trembling.  
  
"Do you, Kimberly Ann Hart, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" the Elvis  
look-alike asked.  
  
"I do," Kim replied firmly, her eyes shining with tears. Trini nudged Emily who smiled  
and handed her another tissue. She turned to check on Billy and had to hand him one   
too. He smiled in thanks.  
  
"Do you, Thomas Sean Oliver, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"  
  
"I do," he declared, his face softened with deep emotion. Aisha sniffled and Rocky   
hugged her tightly. Kat snuggled into Zack's shoulder.   
  
A faint voice can barely be heard over the wedding music, "Be happy my children." 


	4. Chapter 2B Revelations of the Unusual K...

Love-Bound  
  
Chapter 2: Revelations, Phantom of Darkness  
  
Author's Note: Morgana wanted more and since I like myself intact, I provided. This is   
the chapter I wrote for rabid Kat haters.  
  
~*~**~*~  
  
"Hey!" a usually gentle voice called out indignantly. All the former Rangers, except   
for the still entranced couple, turned to look guiltily at Tommy's actual girlfriend.  
Kat gaped at the sight before her, fury working its way up. Trini flushed and grabbed  
Jason's hand, suddenly realizing two very important things… she just precipitated   
events that led to Tommy cheating on his girlfriend and, more importantly, she couldn't  
seem to scare up an ounce of remorse. One look at Jason confirmed that he shared both   
those sentiments. Her arm snaked around his waist and she hid her burning face in his   
shoulder. Jason flexed his fingers, realizing that with both of the so-called guilty   
parties barely aware of the outside world, it fell on him to explain the situation – but  
goddamn it, he didn't want to. He glanced back at Zack and Billy, leaning on the wall  
and wearing identical expressions of denial. He turned his face to kiss the top of   
Trini's head and nudged Tanya who grinned and nudged Rocky, who shook his head and   
nudged Adam, who blinked and tugged on Aisha's hand. She sighed, realizing that all her  
friends were yellow bellied cowards, and crouched next to Kat's chair.  
  
"Kat, you know this was inevitable," her words flowed gently over the stiff and enraged  
girl.   
  
"Bullshit," Kat lunged to her feet, Aisha quickly mirroring her move. "He could have   
stayed faithful." Something dark entered her voice and she slammed a hand into the   
former Yellow Ranger's shoulder, shoving her out of the way almost brutally. Aisha   
stumbled back and reached for the slim blonde but was too late to prevent her fist from  
slamming into the side of Kim's head. The tiny brunette's eyes widened as her head   
snapped back and she lurched in Tommy's arms. Tommy spun around, with his back to Kat,  
disallowing her any more access to her rival. The others froze with shock, never   
expecting the sweet wonderful Kat they thought they knew to react like this.  
  
"Are you nuts, girl?" Tanya stood up and faced the young woman she thought was her best  
friend. She stalked over and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her roughly. Kat   
moved quickly, one moment, held down by her friend's able hands, the next, staring down  
at Tanya, who was rubbing her stricken wrists. She turned to face her straying   
boyfriend and found a small but very capable fist flying into her cheekbone. Crack.   
She staggered back with her hands pressed to her face. Tommy grabbed Kim from behind,   
hugging her to him, in an effort to prevent further violence. She struggled against   
him but the size difference prevented any actual rewards to her efforts. It turned out  
a bad idea in the end as Kat's heel slammed smoothly into Kim's stomach. Tommy could   
only watch in horror as the love of his life bent over in pain. Jason locked gazes with  
Zack and gently removed Trini off his shoulder. He spun Kat around into a very   
effective body lock, being very careful to keep any vital areas away from any parts of   
her that could cause damage and hauled her outside, ignoring her verbal attacks on his   
character and the very unusual snarling noises being emitted from her mouth. Zack   
followed close behind.  
  
Trini rushed up to Kim, with Aisha right behind her. Adam helped Tanya off the floor   
and Rocky hailed down a waiter for some ice. Tommy lifted Kim up into his arms, careful  
not to jolt any aching point on her body and sat down onto a chair, allowing the first   
two Yellow Rangers to tend to her. The promptly arrived ice was put to good use, as   
Kim's delicate face was already swollen and a bright shade of eggplant purple. Billy   
grabbed a bunch of napkins and wrapped some ice to hand to Trini. She carefully lifted  
the tank top from Kim's stomach, finding another growing bruise there. She clucked her  
tongue to the roof of her mouth and gently laid the ice there despite Kim's fervent   
pleas to the contrary.  
  
"Damn that's co-old," the tiny young woman shivered. She shook her head, her free   
flowing hair flinging into Tommy's face. "I want to talk to Kat."  
  
"Do you really think that'd be a good idea right about now?" Rocky inquired, gesturing  
to the glaring evidence of Kat's ire.  
  
Kim carefully pushed all her nurses away and scrambled to her feet. "We are wrong, you  
know…" her voice was hoarse, "and that means we owe her an explanation and an apology."  
She waved away whatever it was Adam meant to say and grabbed Tommy's hand firmly.   
"Let's go." He followed her, trepidation evident in every smooth ripple of his toned  
body. She stalked out to the street and found Kat screeching in Jason's arms. Zack was  
dropped into a fighting position, ultimately convinced that the girl had lost her mind  
and was armed and dangerous.  
  
"Kat…" Kim's hesitant greeting shocked the blonde into stillness. Her darkened blue  
eyes bored into her rival, hatred mixed in with fury. Kim took an involuntary step back  
right into Tommy's steady embrace. The one-time White Ranger could not help but be   
afraid by this side of his girlfriend that he has never seen before. His arms tightened  
around Kim, as if to prevent any harm from coming to her.   
  
"Kim," the name was a growl in a voice not entirely her own. Kat inhaled and suddenly   
glowed golden. Zack dropped back in alarm as the glow exploded, throwing Jason back   
into Tanya's parked car. He vacillated between checking on his friend and watching the   
blonde, who he wasn't entirely certain was Kat. One look at Tommy's set face, he   
sprinted to Jason's side.  
  
Kat took one menacing step forward when Kim held up a hand.  
  
"I really am sorry," she whispered painfully, "I never meant to hurt you, but you have   
to know the truth." She looked at her erstwhile boyfriend, his loving gaze enough to   
get her through the confession. "Tommy and I never fell out of love because we can't.   
We are meant to be." Tommy nodded his head resolutely looking at the woman he betrayed.  
  
Kat's face twisted in fury, "Damn you, you pesky Rangers." With these astonishing words  
her visage began to morph, delicate Caucasian features going to exotic Asian ones and   
back over and over again. The gold glimmer spun about her and suddenly a dark fog began  
to rush around her body. Jason, supported by Zack's arm, leaned up and stared open-  
mouthed at the display. Tommy maneuvered Kim half-way behind him, willing to take the   
brunt of whatever it was that was happening. Kat's body reformed, dark and immaterial,  
and then began to gather solidity and the gold aura knit itself about her like armor.   
It was armor, Scorpina's armor. Zack blinked, rubbing his eyes with one hand.  
  
"Hello Rangers," she smirked, "Did you like my little spell?"  
  
"Spe-ell…" Tommy choked out.  
  
"Aha," she nodded smugly, "There never was a Katherine Jayne Hillard… Just a very smart  
little plot to insinuate me into your little group. Worked, didn't it? I've been slowly  
corrupting you to the Dark side but she…" She paused to point at Kim with venom in her  
eyes. "She just had to mess it all up."  
  
"I love her," Tommy interjected calmly and suddenly a tiny spurt of dark fog exploded  
from his chest, throwing him back against Kim. She stumbled and fell against the wall   
of the club, Tommy's body slamming into her painfully. The dark fog-let whizzed into  
Scorpina and disappeared. She shook her head with disappointment and waved a hand   
around herself.   
  
"I'll be seeing you Rangers." She began to dissipate into the air when Zack leaned   
Jason back against the car and rushed at her. He roared, his body twisting into a   
flying side kick. Black hair flung up as the villain was thrown into the wall. He   
dropped back into a back stance and she lunged at him with a quick combination of   
punches and knife hand attacks. He blocked efficiently and swiped his ankle behind   
hers, dropping her to the gravel. Her head recoiled up and banged down again, leaving   
her unconscious. Tommy ripped off his communicator and tossed it to Zack, who looked up  
with confusion.  
  
"Just teleport her. It'll take her to wherever the current Rangers are now," he replied  
getting off of Kim, who groaned as his massive weight lifted off her tiny body. Tommy  
straightened and offered his love a hand. She grabbed on and stood up. Zack shrugged   
and fastened it on her wrist, pressing the button. She disappeared and he leaned over   
Jason, helping him up. The rattled foursome walked back into the club.  
  
Tanya was the first to notice them. "Kat! What happened? Kim… You didn't?"  
  
Kim winced. "No. There never was any Kat. It was Scorpina in disguise."  
  
Aisha bit her lip, trying to reconcile that fact with what she thought was reality.   
Rocky walked up behind her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.   
  
"Freaky," Zack exhaled. Oddly, no one seemed to experience any real sadness, but a   
degree of discomfort settled within the silence.  
  
"Well at least we know it isn't our fearless leader's personality that gets him all the  
girls," Adam quipped, releasing the tension.  
  
"Nope." Billy winked at Kim, "It's just shorty who's a sucker for the guilt-ridden   
broody ones." She stuck her tongue out at him and laughter exploded all around them.  
  
"So when's the wedding?" Jason's amused voice cut through the ruckus as he made his way  
back to his girlfriend.   
  
Kim looked up at Tommy whose own gaze was speculative. A huge smile spread over her   
face and she looked back at their friends. "Pack your bags, Las Vegas here we come."   
Trini sighed.   
  
"This is why I brought a cocktail dress with me." Her resignation with the situation   
set of more giggles.   
  
"Shopping," Aisha cried out. Tanya nodded and the boys began to shake with fear.  
  
"Wait, wait," Kim interrupted, "We have uneven numbers of guys and girls. Trini is with  
Jason and Tanya is with Adam so you're no problem, but…"  
  
"I can take Angela," Zack stated. Kim nodded, happy that he finally worked things out   
with the girl he's been in love with since freshman year of high school.  
  
"Actually…" Aisha's voice was unusually timid, "Rocky and I have been dating for several  
months." The said guy drew her closer and looked down guiltily. Kim narrowed her eyes  
and started to snicker.  
  
"Tri, you owe me twenty." She held out a hand for the money and the original Yellow   
Ranger handed it over, grumbling about nosey psychic little twerps.  
  
"That still leaves Billy alone," Zack mused.  
  
"Actually…" That word had everyone picking up their glasses of water, ready to punish   
him for holding out on them. He edged backwards and held up his hands in defense.   
"Calm down, guys…" The glasses got placed down and he sighed in relief. "Well, I've   
been dating Emily for a week." Water splattered all over his light blue shirt. Giggles  
ensued.  
  
~*~  
  
Jason smiled as his friends prepare to make their vows. Tanya gripped Adam's hand, her  
lower lip trembling.  
  
"Do you, Kimberly Ann Hart, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" the Elvis  
look-alike asked.  
  
"I do," Kim replied firmly, her eyes shining with tears. Trini nudged Emily who smiled  
and handed her another tissue. She turned to check on Billy and had to hand him one   
too. He smiled in thanks.  
  
"Do you, Thomas Sean Oliver, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"  
  
"I do," he declared, his face softened with deep emotion. Aisha sniffled and Rocky   
hugged her tightly. Angela snuggled into Zack's shoulder.   
  
A faint voice can barely be heard over the wedding music, "Be happy my children." 


End file.
